Marshall Bruce Mathers III, or Eminem, made an explosive entrance into the spotlight with the release of "Slim Shady EP." The rap industry had never before seen an artist who conjured such immense controversy with his witticism and outrageous rhymes. Eminem's style of shock rap quite literally shocked the nation, with his second album drawing even more protest than the first.
"The Marshall Mathers LP" continued Eminem's intense dissection of sensitive topics. He showed no reluctance or discrimination, targeting gay, lesbian, religious, and women's groups.
Despite his offensive lyrics, Eminem's music swept the nation. "The Marshall Mathers LP" became the fastest-selling rap album of all time. Eminem addresses his fame and the effect his music has in many of his songs, including: "White America", "My Dad's Gone Crazy", "Mosh", and "Without Me."
After the release of "Slim Shady EP," Eminem began his reign as the face of rap. His loud and offensive music struck a chord with countless listeners. Each of Eminem's albums has peaked at number one on the US chart, aside from "Slim Shady EP," which peaked at number two.
One of the major attractions to Eminem's character was the development of his alter ego, Slim Shady. Slim Shady exhibited extremely violent characteristics, rapping about rape, murder and drugs. When asked where he thought of the name, Eminem is quoted as saying that it simply popped into his head while on the toilet.
Another contributing factor to Eminem's popularity was the color of his skin. A white rapper had never displayed such talent coupled with the intense shock effect of his music. When Dr. Dre heard Eminem's "Slim Shady EP," he ordered Interscope Records CEO Jimmy Iovine to "find him. Now." Dr. Dre also raps about the beginning of their relationship in their song "I Need A Doctor," saying "you walked in, yellow jump suit, whole room cracked jokes, but once you got inside the booth, told you, mic smoke."
Eminem has reasserted his dominance with each successive album release. His jaw-dropping rhymes and fearless attitude have solidified his position as an intimidating rival.
Jayceon Terrell Taylor, known as The Game, gave his take on Eminem after the release of "Recovery," in 2010.
"Eminem is the only rapper no one ever wants a problem with, including myself. Eminem is the most lyrically insane."
The Game was also asked what he would do if Eminem attempted to start a rap feud. His answer? Run.
Eminem figured out very quickly that he was the best at his craft. In his song "'Till I Collapse," he raps "I got a list, here's the order of my list that it's in. It goes Reggie, Jay-Z, Tupac and Biggie, Andre from Outkast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas and then me."
Eminem's loudest message of all travels through his most recent album, "The Marshall Mathers LP 2." Rap God is the ultimate statement of his enduring legacy, addressing everything from his underground origins to his controversial career. The song entered the Guinness book of world records as the hit single with the most words, tallying 1,560. Critics praised his "supersonic" rap speed, when he spits 97 words in a mere 15 seconds. Eminem finishes the masterpiece with a simple message to his fellow rappers and fans, asking "why be a King, when you can be a God?"
